Yardbarker: MLB Rumors and Gossiphttp://www.yardbarker.com/mlb
Recent rumors and gossip about MLBen-usMartin Perez 'killed and ate' bull that caused elbow injuryTexas Rangers pitcher Martin Perez on Sunday bluntly explained how he exacted revenge upon a bull that caused him to suffer an elbow injury this past offseason: A trip to the slaughterhouse.“I killed him and I ate him,” Perez said, via the Star-Telegram.The left-hander is making every effort to be ready for the start of the season after breaking his non-throwing elbow when he fall at his ranch in Venezuela when a bull startled him.Perez explained in January how the injury, which required surgery, occurred.
“What happened?” Perez said of the December incident, via the Star-Telegram. “I knew you guys were going to ask me that. I have horses and cows on my ranch. My guys were working with the cows, and I was sitting on a fence. My brother said something and I looked back at him.
“Then I heard, ‘Watch out!’ I turned, and a bull was coming at me. I fell. I was trying to fall on my feet, and I landed on my elbow.”
Perez made his Cactus League debut Sunday, allowing one run over five innings of work in an encouragi19 Mar 2018 20:15:30 -0400http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/martin_perez_on_bull_that_caused_elbow_injury_i_killed_him_and_ate_him/s1_8061_25981355
http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/martin_perez_on_bull_that_caused_elbow_injury_i_killed_him_and_ate_him/s1_8061_25981355Martin Perez 'killed and ate' bull that caused elbow injuryhttp://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/martin_perez_on_bull_that_caused_elbow_injury_i_killed_him_and_ate_him/s1_8061_25981355http://www.yardbarker.com/media/c/8/c84db976acb5a3dff601d2e32670ca678c367dfc/top_story/10228158.jpgTwins SS Jorge Polanco gets 80-game suspension for PEDsMajor League Baseball has handed Twins shortstop Jorge Polanco an 80-game suspension without pay for testing positive for Stanozolol, a performance-enhancing substance, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com tweets. Polanco issued a statement in response to the ban (all of which is available here via Bollinger), saying that he “regretfully accepted” the suspension, but he “did not intentionally consume this steroid.”“The substance that I requested from my athletic trainer in the Dominican Republic and consented to take was a combination of vitamin B12 and an iron supplement, something that is not unusual or illegal for professional athletes to take. Unfortunately, what I was given was not that supplement and I take full responsibility for what is in my body,” said Polanco, who added that he’d like to fight the punishment, but he’ll avoid doing it in the best interest of the Twins organization.The Twins issued their own response, stating: “We were disappointed to learn of the suspension of Jorge Polanco for violating Maj19 Mar 2018 01:07:10 -0400http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/twins_jorge_polanco_gets_80_game_suspension/s1_13237_25976927
http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/twins_jorge_polanco_gets_80_game_suspension/s1_13237_25976927Twins SS Jorge Polanco gets 80-game suspension for PEDshttp://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/twins_jorge_polanco_gets_80_game_suspension/s1_13237_25976927http://www.yardbarker.com/media/9/4/9453153df15350fda6344d5d8cdd57df4d988981/top_story/10668967.jpgDespite struggles, Ohtani will start in majorsIt’s been a brutal spring for young stud Shohei Ohtani. But the Angels appear certain he will begin the season in the majors. In fact, General manager Billy Eppler says as much.“Pitching wise, absent a couple pitches each outing completely getting away from him, losing grip or feel, he’s been around the strike zone with the majority of his pitches. We look at walk rate and strike throwing and the ability to get hitters to swing and miss. As we look at those things, those are the foundation of our evaluative methodologies, and those things are in place.”In four pitching appearances this spring, Ohtani holds an ERA of 16.20 across 8.1 innings. But his velocity is up to 98 miles per hour. And more than that, Ohtani has 19 strikeouts to just three walks. That’s great, except for that fact that he has surrendered 15 earned runs while recording just 25 outs against mostly minor league opposition.Manager Mike Scioscia thinks Ohtani is close as well.“I think Shohei is very close. I thought you saw the stuff, especial18 Mar 2018 11:07:10 -0400http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/despite_struggles_ohtani_will_start_in_majors/s1_11773_25974557
http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/despite_struggles_ohtani_will_start_in_majors/s1_11773_25974557Despite struggles, Ohtani will start in majorshttp://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/despite_struggles_ohtani_will_start_in_majors/s1_11773_25974557http://www.yardbarker.com/media/4/3/434adcd895f4b9d10ecba4e6fbb6acc5eb20a47f/top_story/10705033.jpgMets’ Jason Vargas suffers fracture to non-pitching handMets left-hander Jason Vargas suffered a non-displaced fracture of his right hamate bone during his outing Friday, the team announced. It’s unclear how long Vargas will be on the shelf, though Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News estimates two to six weeks, depending on whether he undergoes surgery. General manager Sandy Alderson told Tim Britton of The Athletic and other reporters Sunday that surgery is an option.“He’ll either pitch through it or he’ll have it surgically repaired,” Alderson said.Vargas’ injury is the latest in a run of poor health for Mets starters, who suffered through a disastrous 2017. Jacob deGrom was the only member of the group to get through the season unscathed, while ace Noah Syndergaard, Matt Harvey, Steven Matz, Zack Wheeler, Seth Lugo and Robert Gsellman each sat out significant periods of time. The only member of that injury-plagued group who delivered a high-end performance was Syndergaard. The rest struggled mightily when they stepped on the mound, contributing to the Met18 Mar 2018 10:58:29 -0400http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/mets_jason_vargas_suffers_fracture_to_non_pitching_hand/s1_13237_25974485
http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/mets_jason_vargas_suffers_fracture_to_non_pitching_hand/s1_13237_25974485Mets’ Jason Vargas suffers fracture to non-pitching handhttp://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/mets_jason_vargas_suffers_fracture_to_non_pitching_hand/s1_13237_25974485http://www.yardbarker.com/media/3/3/33262c742df671c8c4c8e86dce5ddd845b6df55f/top_story/10665094.jpgAL West Notes: Angels' evaluating Ohtani; Vogelbach impressing MarinersThe struggles of Shohei Ohtani this spring have been well-documented already, and while he’s ranked as one of the top prospects in baseball in most publications, scouts have been vocal about some weaknesses in his game. Ohtani would seem to be a significant part of the Angels’ plans for 2018, but GM Billy Eppler recently said that the club has made no assurances to Ohtani that he’ll be on the opening day roster (report: Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times). “In our universe, we are evaluating this in a vacuum,” said Eppler. “Is this 23-year-old prospect ready to make an impact on both sides of the ball?” The decision to start Ohtani in the minors (if a serious consideration) would certainly make sense from a development perspective, and would come with the enormous benefit of giving the Angels an extra year of control over the two-way Japanese phenom, if he were to spend at least 15 days at Triple-A. Of course, such a decision would surely come with a storm of controversy as well.Elsewhere in the AL West17 Mar 2018 17:03:57 -0400http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/al_west_notes_ohtani_vogelbach_whalen_as_cotton_puk/s1_13237_25970399
http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/al_west_notes_ohtani_vogelbach_whalen_as_cotton_puk/s1_13237_25970399AL West Notes: Angels' evaluating Ohtani; Vogelbach impressing Marinershttp://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/al_west_notes_ohtani_vogelbach_whalen_as_cotton_puk/s1_13237_25970399http://www.yardbarker.com/media/5/1/5195d65f64c4577cde4408189de3255300855c43/top_story/10704883.jpgAre the Phillies the front-runners to sign Bryce Harper?Bryce Harper could very well be the most sought after free agent in Major League Baseball history when he becomes available after the 2018 season. While a bidding war of unprecedented proportions is expected, one MLB insider already believes one dark horse team could very well already be among the leaders to secure Harper’s services. ESPN MLB insider Buster Olney stated during a recent “Baseball Tonight” podcast there that the Philadelphia Phillies should be considered among the front-runners to sign Harper this coming offseason … with one very important caveat.“I would bet the family farm that Bryce Harper winds up with the Phillies or back with the Washington Nationals,” Olney said. The notion that Harper heads to Philly as opposed to teams such as the New York Yankees and Chicago Cubs — where rumors already suggest the Washington Nationals slugger could be headed — may seem somewhat unlikely at first.However, it merits noting that the Phillies are making considerable inroads to developing into a legitimate16 Mar 2018 12:17:22 -0400http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/mlb_insider_phillies_among_front_runners_to_sign_bryce_harper/s1_8061_25959542
http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/mlb_insider_phillies_among_front_runners_to_sign_bryce_harper/s1_8061_25959542Are the Phillies the front-runners to sign Bryce Harper?http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/mlb_insider_phillies_among_front_runners_to_sign_bryce_harper/s1_8061_25959542http://www.yardbarker.com/media/5/0/5025448263d137e9b4697dba59393a813f847d68/top_story/USATSI_10332338__1_.jpgJustin Verlander blasts ex-Astros prospect Danry Vasquez over domestic violence videoJustin Verlander profanely blasted disgraced Danry Vasquez after shocking footage recently surfaced of the former Houston Astros prospect beating his girlfriend during a disturbing 2016 domestic violence incident. “(Expletive) you man,” Verlander wrote on Twitter Wednesday night, with the expletive replaced with a middle-finger emoji. “I hope the rest of your life without baseball is horrible. You deserve all that is coming your way!”Fellow Astros pitcher Lance McMullers Jr. echoed Verlander’s sentiments. Although he was quick to point out how video being obtained of the incident ignited uproar, as was the case in incident involving former NFL running back Ray Rice. Vasquez was released by the Corpus Christi Hooks, the Astros’ Double-A minor league affiliate, in the wake of incident. Surveillance video has since been obtained by KRIS-TV, that shows Vasquez beating a woman in a stairwell inside Whataburger Field in Corpus Christi, Texas.The Lancaster Barnstormers of the independent Atlantic League, where Vasq15 Mar 2018 14:31:00 -0400http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/justin_verlander_blasts_ex_astros_prospect_danry_vasquez_over_domestic_violence_video/s1_8061_25951064
http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/justin_verlander_blasts_ex_astros_prospect_danry_vasquez_over_domestic_violence_video/s1_8061_25951064Justin Verlander blasts ex-Astros prospect Danry Vasquez over domestic violence videohttp://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/justin_verlander_blasts_ex_astros_prospect_danry_vasquez_over_domestic_violence_video/s1_8061_25951064http://www.yardbarker.com/media/4/c/4cc35f734eeb672ae7e9842416bf54e76e91e026/top_story/10657723.jpgAaron Judge warned about tampering by MLB, Yankees over Manny Machado talkAaron Judge got himself and the New York Yankees in a bit of trouble with the powers-that-be in Major League Baseball by making comments about Baltimore Orioles star Manny Machado that could be interpreted as tampering.Judge had an exchange with Machado before Wednesday’s Yankees-Orioles exhibition game, details of which he later revealed to the media. “I told him he’d look good in pinstripes,” Judge relayed to reporters about what he and Machado, a free agent after the season, discussed.Judge revealed Thursday he had a chat with Yankees general manager Brian Cashman about his remarks.“Cashman called me briefly and spoke about it,” Judge said, via Newsday. “Gave me a refresher that MLB’s sensitive to that kind of stuff. That’s about it.”Players technically are not bound by tampering restrictions in the same way as team officials, but the league nevertheless does not like the optics of it. Thus, Major League Baseball issued a statement Wednesday warning Judge and the Yankees that this kind of chatter cannot be15 Mar 2018 12:23:01 -0400http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/aaron_judge_warned_about_tampering_by_mlb_yankees_over_manny_machado_talk/s1_8061_25948736
http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/aaron_judge_warned_about_tampering_by_mlb_yankees_over_manny_machado_talk/s1_8061_25948736Aaron Judge warned about tampering by MLB, Yankees over Manny Machado talkhttp://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/aaron_judge_warned_about_tampering_by_mlb_yankees_over_manny_machado_talk/s1_8061_25948736http://www.yardbarker.com/media/a/a/aa13c55a5f97b033081f27f16c5e167bad465e2a/top_story/USATSI_10703673.jpgA-Rod touts ‘Oops Fund’ for athletes, untouchable until age 45It’s safe to assume Alex Rodriguez never would need such a thing, but the former MLB superstar believes some mechanism should be put in place to allow athletes to create an “Oops Fund” that is untouchable until they reach the age of 45. “If you look at the data,” Rodriguez said recently during an appearance on CNBC’s “Squawk Box,” “suggests that a lot of our players are going bankrupt way too soon.”A-Rod is absolutely correct. It’s become an all-too-common occurrence — yet nevertheless an arguably baffling one — to hear stories about athletes who have earned millions upon millions of dollars in their careers to end up penniless.That’s why Rodriguez is advocating for said “Oops Fund,” which would protect athletes from the irresponsible folly of youth.“I wish we had a vehicle that athletes early on can put money away first,” Rodriguez added on “Closing Bell” on CNBC. “It would work similarly to a 401(k) plan or individual retirement account (IRA) in that athletes could put away up to 10 percent of their income 14 Mar 2018 22:39:25 -0400http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/alex_rodriguez_touts_oops_fund_for_athletes_untouchable_until_age_45/s1_8061_25941110
http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/alex_rodriguez_touts_oops_fund_for_athletes_untouchable_until_age_45/s1_8061_25941110A-Rod touts ‘Oops Fund’ for athletes, untouchable until age 45http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/alex_rodriguez_touts_oops_fund_for_athletes_untouchable_until_age_45/s1_8061_25941110http://www.yardbarker.com/media/d/f/df7d905c4b7b35afaaa8c9ec5ae0e6a45fc2db83/top_story/GettyImages-82573061.jpgCorrea clarifies why he skipped Astros’ White House visitCarlos Correa was noticeably absent as the Houston Astros attended a ceremony Monday at the White House to celebrate the team’s World Series title with Donald Trump. On Tuesday, the All-Star shortstop explained why.Some presumably have inferred Correa, a native of Puerto Rico, opted out of the visit as a sign of protest over the U.S. government’s response to the humanitarian crisis in his homeland in the wake of Hurricane Maria. However, that was not the case, as Correa instead spent Monday arranging for more relief supplies to be shipped to Puerto Rico. “It was not politics or anything,” Correa said Tuesday, via the New York Post. “It was just that the day off was perfect to be able to provide some help for the people in Puerto Rico in need.”Trump has been roundly criticized for the government’s efforts in providing aid and assistance to hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico, especially when compared to what Texas and Florida received following Hurricane Harvey.“I didn’t think it was right for me to go and talk to t14 Mar 2018 00:31:12 -0400http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/carlos_correa_clarifies_why_he_skipped_astros_white_house_visit/s1_8061_25931909
http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/carlos_correa_clarifies_why_he_skipped_astros_white_house_visit/s1_8061_25931909Correa clarifies why he skipped Astros’ White House visithttp://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/carlos_correa_clarifies_why_he_skipped_astros_white_house_visit/s1_8061_25931909http://www.yardbarker.com/media/b/0/b029e6f2d8a6a0509ea7a1d7ee871e4fad09f68f/top_story/10383902.jpgTim Tebow cut by Mets, sent down to minor league campTim Tebow’s time with the big club in spring training did not last too long.Tebow was among the players who failed to make the first cut by the New York Mets in spring training. The former NFL player being cut was the capper on an awful day for Tebow. He DH'd for the Mets in a game against the Houston Astros and took a golden sombrero, going 0-for-4 with four strikeouts. That dropped his spring training average to .056 (1-for-18) with 11 strikeouts.Tebow will now join the Mets’ minor league camp where he will face competition that’s more on his level.The 30-year-old batted .226 with a .656 OPS last season in the minors spread over two levels of Class-A ball. He is likely to begin the season with the Mets’ Double-A team.13 Mar 2018 17:37:33 -0400http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/tim_tebow_cut_by_mets_sent_down_to_minor_league_camp/s1_127_25932983
http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/tim_tebow_cut_by_mets_sent_down_to_minor_league_camp/s1_127_25932983Tim Tebow cut by Mets, sent down to minor league camphttp://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/tim_tebow_cut_by_mets_sent_down_to_minor_league_camp/s1_127_25932983http://www.yardbarker.com/media/6/8/682989c47d3e7bec6c329a82d6eea55580741206/top_story/10661207.jpgNelson Cruz leaves spring training game with quad injuryNelson Cruz left the Seattle Mariners’ spring training on Tuesday with a quad injury.Cruz knocked in the Mariners’ first run in a game with the Colorado Rockies with a line drive single to right field. After his hit, Cruz had to be helped off the field with a trainer. Mariners reporter Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times explains what happened: The Mariners have been crushed by injuries this spring training. Robinson Cano left Sunday’s game with a hamstring issue; Ryon Healy has been dealing with a hand injury; Ben Gamel has an oblique injury; Mitch Haniger has a hand injury; Felix Hernandez has been bothered by his forearm; and Erasmo Ramirez has a lat issue. They’re hoping many of the players will be back to full strength when the season begins.Cruz, 37, has averaged 41.5 home runs per season over the past four years. Despite his age, his is still a big threat as a slugger.14 Mar 2018 00:37:01 -0400http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/nelson_cruz_leaves_spring_training_game_with_quad_injury/s1_127_25932896
http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/nelson_cruz_leaves_spring_training_game_with_quad_injury/s1_127_25932896Nelson Cruz leaves spring training game with quad injuryhttp://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/nelson_cruz_leaves_spring_training_game_with_quad_injury/s1_127_25932896http://www.yardbarker.com/media/4/2/42f39968f1abfe3399398460938812afd58a07f6/top_story/10673746.jpgJake Arrieta on readiness for start of season: ‘My body is in tremendous shape’Jake Arrieta on Tuesday morning was formally introduced by the Philadelphia Phillies. Arrieta, in comments made during his introductory press conference, indicated he fully expects to be ready for the start of the season despite a protracted free agency process that left the 32-year-old pitcher perhaps a bit behind in his spring training preparation. “My body is in tremendous shape,” Arrieta said, via The Inquirer. “I feel like we’ll probably sit down and game-plan and decide how quickly I get into a game and how many pitches I’m able to throw right away and develop a program to get me ready for the opening week of the season because that’s exactly what I intend to do.”Arrieta, who signed a three-year, $75 million deal with the Phillies, added he has been doing 50- to 65-pitch bullpen sessions every two to three days.“The workload has been good. Obviously, I haven’t been in a game yet, but I’m a quick learner and I like my chances,” Arrieta said.Perhaps most encouraging to the Phillies and the team’s fans is 13 Mar 2018 11:30:43 -0400http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/jake_arrieta_on_readiness_for_start_of_season_my_body_is_in_tremendous_shape/s1_8061_25928993
http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/jake_arrieta_on_readiness_for_start_of_season_my_body_is_in_tremendous_shape/s1_8061_25928993Jake Arrieta on readiness for start of season: ‘My body is in tremendous shape’http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/jake_arrieta_on_readiness_for_start_of_season_my_body_is_in_tremendous_shape/s1_8061_25928993http://www.yardbarker.com/media/3/5/356cd914540828340d7a08c7f568d3c953f3d56e/top_story/USATSI_10152397.jpgYankees sign Neil WalkerThe Yankees have agreed to a contract with free-agent infielder Neil Walker, reports Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter). The agreement is pending a physical. Walker is a client of Excel Sports Management.More to come. The Yankees have agreed to a contract with free-agent infielder Neil Walker, reports Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter). The agreement is pending a physical. Walker is a client of Excel Sports Management.FanRag’s Jon Heyman tweets that Walker’s one-year deal will be worth about $5MM.The agreement will bring to a close a lengthy trip through the free-agent process for the 32-year-old Walker, who struggled to find a landing spot this offseason despite a history of above-average offense and the ability to handle multiple positions around the infield. The infielder himself told Billy Witz of the New York Times recently that he thought he’d been close to an agreement with the Yankees before the team pivoted and acquired Brandon Drury from the D-backs.Now, it seems that the Yankees will 12 Mar 2018 20:17:37 -0400http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/yankees_to_sign_neil_walker/s1_13237_25919507
http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/yankees_to_sign_neil_walker/s1_13237_25919507Yankees sign Neil Walkerhttp://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/yankees_to_sign_neil_walker/s1_13237_25919507http://www.yardbarker.com/media/3/1/31bbe278c7978db6a6aa1daff77087406533d1ed/top_story/10263045.jpgRobinson Cano out less than a week due to hamstring issueThe Seattle Mariners got good news on Robinson Cano’s hamstring injury Monday.Cano will reportedly miss no more than two to three days with a minor hamstring issue, which should not endanger his status for the start of the regular season. Given Cano was bothered by a quad injury last year, this is good news. Barring any unexpected setbacks, he should be back for Opening Day. That’s a relief, as the Mariners will need Cano to be healthy if they want to make a run at the playoffs this season.Cano’s injury isn’t the only scare that has hit the Mariners this spring.12 Mar 2018 20:05:54 -0400http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/robinson_cano_out_less_than_a_week_due_to_hamstring_issue/s1_127_25924523
http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/robinson_cano_out_less_than_a_week_due_to_hamstring_issue/s1_127_25924523Robinson Cano out less than a week due to hamstring issuehttp://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/robinson_cano_out_less_than_a_week_due_to_hamstring_issue/s1_127_25924523http://www.yardbarker.com/media/c/6/c618bf881f8451523a936839e7a998f253c5f5a8/top_story/10673720.jpg